The invention relates to an surge arrester mounting unit for telecommunications and data systems equipment, composed of an upper part and a lower part made of plastic, and of metallic contact elements which are arranged in pairs and which each engage by means of spring arms in chambers of the upper part in order to make contact with surge arresters, and project out of the lower part as contact blades.
An surge arrester mounting unit of the generic type has previously been disclosed in DE 3014796 C3. In this mounting unit, the contact blades which project out of the lower part are designed to engage in contact springs of a terminal block whose design has previously been disclosed in DE 2725551 C2. Here, in each case two insulation piercing contact elements form, together with a contact spring, a single component, the contact spring being located relatively close to the top of the terminal block so that the contact blades can engage in it.
In addition, DE 4325952 C2 has previously disclosed terminal blocks for telecommunications and data systems equipment with high transmission rates, in which terminal blocks there are, between the insulation piercing contact elements, contact fingers which are directed into the interior of the terminal block and which can be separated by a printed circuit board-like plug tongue of a plug. Over voltage protection for such a terminal block for high transmission rates cannot be provided by plugging in the surge arrester mounting unit which has previously been disclosed in DE 3014796 C3, since the contact blades of the mounting unit cannot separate the contact fingers of such a terminal block for high transmission rates.
The invention is therefore based on the object of developing the surge arrester mounting unit of the generic type in such a way that the latter can also be used for over voltage protection of terminal blocks for high transmission rates.
In order to achieve this object, the invention provides for the contact blades for separating contact fingers (directed into the interior of a terminal block) from insulation piercing contact elements, to be made approximately twice as long as the spring arms and to be given more than double the material thickness at the free end by bending over. This significant, lengthening of the contact blades and the considerable thickening of the contact blades gives them the function of a printed circuit board-like plug which can engage between the contact fingers directed into the interior of the terminal block and separate them while making contact, so that over voltage protection is ensured for the terminal block for high transmission rates. The combination of lengthening and thickening of the contact blades is essential here, since it is the only way of being sure of both making contact with, and also separating, the contact fingers, directed into the interior of the terminal block, of the insulation piercing contact elements.
In order to stabilize the contact blades and secure their position, the contact blades have a bowed portion cut out of the material approximately in the longitudinal center.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.